And what would your suggestion for an alternative be? I understand what you mean as I lost position plenty to the more experienced guy, especially as i began to gas out, but without an alternative I can't really work towards anything other then wrapping my limbs around his limbs and hoping for the best, which is obviously more likely to get someone hurt then a guillotine.

I encourage every beginner who wants direction to work on rear naked chokes. Taking the back is NEVER a bad thing to work on and it forces you to go after the most dominant position instead of falling back into submission attempts and likely losing position. Most newbs can't stick with it because it proves frustrating but learning it will never be a waste and you will learn a lot of other things trying to get there.

If Omega says it's a bad idea, then I will stop looking for guilloties. I would love to hunt RNC's instead as WS suggests, but the reality is that I'm mostly stuck in the other guy's guard and unable to pass, so it never comes up.

@OP I'll see if I can find a vdeo. I (re)invented it, but was told it's standard.

Now darkness comes; you don't know if the whales are coming. - Royce Gracie

If Omega says it's a bad idea, then I will stop looking for guilloties. I would love to hunt RNC's instead as WS suggests, but the reality is that I'm mostly stuck in the other guy's guard and unable to pass, so it never comes up.

@OP I'll see if I can find a vdeo. I (re)invented it, but was told it's standard.

When you're still struggling with the puzzle of guard passing, taking the the back is a pie in the sky thing that only comes up infrequently in a scamble, and even then the idea of going for the RNC is subordinated to dealing with the Turtle that immediately gets tossed in your path :P

Just one n00bs perspective.

Now darkness comes; you don't know if the whales are coming. - Royce Gracie

When you're still struggling with the puzzle of guard passing, taking the the back is a pie in the sky thing that only comes up infrequently in a scamble, and even then the idea of going for the RNC is subordinated to dealing with the Turtle that immediately gets tossed in your path :P

Just one n00bs perspective.

It is a long term goal. It is tempting to just guillotine all the other newbs but that is a path to stagnation. Taking the back is a longer road but it is also a different philosophy that requires you to think a couple steps ahead.

This seems daunting because you are thinking about going right to the RNC which is miles away from where you are. Instead start each role with the goal of exposing your opponent's back. maybe the first step is not getting in his guard but instead putting him in your guard and looking to push the arm across.